In my family, it was always understood that we would endeavor to utilize, to the fullest extent, our natural gifts and abilities. My own parents both hold Ph.D.s earned in the US, and I grew up in KSA appreciating the value of an international education, and experiences, in an atmosphere of commitment to our community, always aiming for the ideal of bettering the lives of those that we are blessed to share our lives with.

Pediatric dentistry goes well-beyond simply educating parents in the importance of primary teeth, or teaching preventive home care. In my experience, patience, a gentle demeanor and hand, as well as a solid grasp of pain management are the quintessential elements to being successful in this incredibly important specialty. A pediatric dentist is a patient’s introduction to dentists in general. The first experience a young patient has with a dentist will quite possibly shape their opinion of dentists for a lifetime. It is up to me to make sure that their first experience is a pleasant one, and show them that a dentist is someone that can be trusted, a friend, and a person that cares.

I have reached a point in my academic, research, professional and volunteer career where I am eager to immerse myself in a quality post-graduate Pediatric Dentistry program. In order to bring my goals, ambitions, indeed my dreams to reality, I require a well-structured, challenging post-graduate program, certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, a program with ample exposure, direct-patient contact, access to cutting-edge technologies and facilities, as well as research resources. In truth, I aim to be active in preventive dentistry research, caries prevention, sedation and the latest technologies and techniques in General Dentistry.

There are distinct, growing and omnipresent needs in the community in my country for qualified, and compassionate Pediatric Dentists, and what is more, faculty that can teach the rudiments, ideals, and sheer necessity for dental professionals to meet the unique needs of our youngest patients. It is my aim to fill this need, and is the source of the passion, the source of the fire within me that I have for my profession. Earning board certification in Pediatric Dentistry and subsequently a Ph.D. in Public Health, I will be completely equipped for designing and delivering Pediatric Dentistry education to tomorrow’s dental professionals in KSA.

In terms of my professional goals beyond graduation, I want to serve my community and country by becoming a faculty member in the Pediatric Dentistry department in my alma mater, KingFaisalUniversity, where already I am a clinical instructor. I will use my position in the University to take a lead role in the Saudi Board of Pediatric Dentistry for the Eastern Region of KSA, as well as contributing to ongoing research for our specialty. Through active research and involvement in the extended dental professional community, I will be able to establish my University as an academic leader in caries prevention and public health awareness, and not just for KSA, but also throughout the Middle East. Accomplishing this will allow us to improve oral health awareness through medical mission work in the most critical developing and emerging areas of the world.

I bring with me to the Pediatric Dentistry program and student body, a solid academic grounding in Dental Surgery, work that I accomplished with a near-perfect GPA, and many honors. Moreover, I am very proud of not only getting into the highly competitive program, one that only accepts roughly 9% of its applicants, but also being the first student in my University’s history to earn their Exemplary Clinical Proficiency Award. What is more, my record of accomplishment earned me a clinical instructor position with my University and full scholarship for post-graduate education.

Any dental professional must be able to interact effectively with not only their community, patients, and support staff, but also their peers. To this end, I feel that my experiences as a clinical instructor have proven my ability to interact well with other dental professionals, faculty, as well as my patients. Of equal importance, my desire to help the poor, sick and needy in my community – at all costs – is evident in my active volunteerism. To date, I have conducted volunteer work involving children’s oral health needs, working with orphans, administering caries prevention measures, educational lectures, and educational-play stages. My volunteer work impressed upon me just how diverse my community is in terms of values and traditions, an incredible tapestry that adds to the depth of my service. The work has been incredibly rewarding and proved to me that I am on exactly the right path.

My worldview is quite different from peers, and I feel this will enhance the student body. Having lived, been educated and worked in KSA, and traveled throughout Europe, Canada, Malaysia, and other countries, I have been forever changed by all that I have seen. Some truths are universal, our needs remain the same, and I feel particularly adept at reaching out to diverse patients and my ability to connect with people of differing backgrounds, creeds and cultures. This is an ability that simply cannot be taught, and must be learned, one that translates perfectly to our profession, one in which we encounter not just cases, but patients of diversity, and socioeconomic status.

I have seen my role in the field of dentistry. I will bring everything I am to the field. For me, being a pediatric dentist is a great responsibility, creating foundations with patients that will last a lifetime.